Philosophy

New Year is interesting. In reality – just another day. And also in reality, albeit with a greater degree of construction – there’s a new number on the calendar and a sense of New Beginnings. We can put the old year behind us and look forward to everything being different, and better, in the coming […]

I nearly didn’t go to the park today. The routine is: finish work, drive to Mum’s to collect dog, stop for a cuppa (with option on a ginger biscuit), have a chat, remark on Judge Rinder’s latest case (Judge Rinder having replaced McGyver as early evening viewing), stop dog bouncing long enough to attach lead, […]

That’s twice this week it’s been suggested I’ve been over-emotional. Once for complaining about NGO Save the Rhino having a policy of supporting trophy hunting, because I believe someone calling themselves Save the Rhino ought to be saving rhinos, and again when I posted an – admittedly upsetting – film clip of two former battery chickens […]

I have spots. They’ve been a part of my facial landscape since my teens. When aged about 13, a particularly spiteful Home Ec teacher (who I can only think took against me because of my incompetence around a Victoria Sponge) suggested to the class that spots like mine were the product of poor hygiene and […]

‘They’ve found another planet with people on it. It was on the tellie.’ ‘Were you watching Star Trek, Mum?’ ‘No. It was on the news. Wasn’t it, Barry? They found a planet like this one. With people.’ Dad nods. It’s the safest option. ‘But we can’t go there.’ She says, disappointedly. ‘It’s too far away. […]

Yesterday, I invited people to share stories about what they love about themselves. This took place in my local high street – the event organised by the wonderful people at Southend Feminist Group (a particular shout out to Hayley and Fiona, and all the other group members involved. Me, I was just along for the […]

I recently read a positive article about strong women. A positive article, which referenced my hero Xena, and which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. However, I noticed that my thoughts were hovering over the word empowerment. I’d always previously accepted this word, and indeed used it myself plenty of times – with the best of intentions, […]

Southend Philosophy Group Ethics and humanity – April 2013 meeting This is a record of some of the things said at our most recent meeting. We explored whether humans are intrinsically good or evil – or whether such concepts are purely relational constructs – and how we decide what constitutes ‘correct’ behaviour. There was much […]

If I were to take rat poison, the walls of my blood vessels would break down. Blood would leak into my brain, into my organs. I would bleed to death internally, possibly over a day or three. I might carry on for a while, struggling to get around, feeling worse and worse. Eventually, I would […]

As you’ll know if you read my blog; one of the ways I’m distracting myself from doing nothing at the moment is by learning about the arts. The current topic is about what happened when European and African cultures met – specifically when the people of Benin met the Portuguese and then the British – […]